Teaneck settles two lawsuits worth $4.9M

Teaneck council voted this week to pay $4.9 million to settle two harassment lawsuits from former employees who accused senior officials of targeting them after they supported other employees who filed harassment suits, a report in The Record said.

According to the report, former police officer John Shoudis was awarded $4.7 million after he accused the town of passing over him for promotion and harassing him after testifying for former police Lt. Diane Mancini, who won her own $1.1 million judgment against the town after a sexual harassment suit.

Former firefighter Matthew Vogelman was awarded $200,000 after saying he was the victim of anti-Semitic statements and physical intimidation, the report said. Vogelman said he was harassed after testifying for former firefighter Bill Brennan, who accepted $800,000 in 2005 to settle a series of harassment lawsuits.